Alternate Life
by ice flow
Summary: A chance meeting with a certain heir results in a change of what everyone knows of a certain blond. Atoji.


**Title**: Alternate Life  
**Author**: ice  
**Genre**: General  
**Rating**: PG-13  
**Pairings**: AtoJi  
**Warning: **Crossover  
**Summary**: A chance meeting with a certain heir results in a change of what everyone knows of a certain blond.  


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**Disclaimer**: I can only wish I owned PoT...Atobe and Jirou would be official...and PoT would be about Hyoutei instead of Seigaku...I also don't own HP.  


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A/N: A little something I've had running around my head because I ALWAYS have some kind of idea for a crossover with Harry Potter for everything...but considering that I don't exactly like the HP characters....er...yeah...this one turned out a lot differently than it usually would have. Completely ripped apart the only pairing I ever liked in that series....*shrug* eh, whatever. AtoJi is MUCH better than anything else in any case. But once this particular idea got running around in my head, I just had to get it down.

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"Avada Kevadra!" A scream rang out from a misintended target as Voldemort died. He had fired one last attempt at Harry Potter, but seeing as Harry had dodged last second, the spell had instead hit the son of his loyal servant, Draco Malfoy. Harry stared horrified as his rival fell before his eyes. Sure, the blond had been evil, had supported Voldemort, but he had been a constant in his life.

But then something strange happened. The body turned into ashes and scattered apart as a strong wind gathered in the center, as if summoning something. Harry, along with the surviving members of the Order of the Phoenix, squinted and covered their eyes from the blowing debris while preparing for the worst. They hoped it wasn't another enemy. Then the wind died down and cleared up. They stared suspiciously as a blond boy stood in the center where Draco Malfoy's body had been. He wore strange clothes, a blue, white and gray blazer over a white(?) polo shirt and shorts.

The boy looked around at the destruction around him curiously before saying, "Damn. Guess I have some explaining to do." He pouted.

Harry kept his wand aimed at the boy. "Who are you?" He demanded.

The boy looked over. "Eh? Oh! Um...I guess you can call me Draco Malfoy then."

"_What?!_" Various voices chorused from around the semi-destroyed castle grounds.

"Draco Malfoy just died in front of us. Who are you?!" Hermione demanded.

"Oh, him." The blond waved a hand casually, seemingly not noticing the tightening of almost all hands on their wands aimed at him. "He's a clay marionette. Had to leave something behind for my parents, afterall. Couldn't just run off and have everyone looking for me." He paused. "And can you put those down? I don't have any weapons on me you know. You can see my hands perfectly clear." He held them out.

One by one, the witches and wizards slowly lowered their wands. "Why are you back here then?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"There was a spell set on that thing so that if it was ever destroyed, the original would be summoned." The blond shrugged. "I should probably get all the paperwork done now though. All the official stuff's probably been transferred to that doll already." He mused. He clapped his hands and then clasped them behind his head. "So, any place I can stay for the time being?" He peered at the rubble around him. "Er, is the war over yet?" He asked sheepishly.

Harry couldn't believe this boy. THIS was Draco Malfoy? But, he was so...agreeable. There was no hint of the arrogance and pettiness the Malfoy he knew showed. This boy was actually friendly. And he appeared so naive, too, asking whether or not the war is over after being held at wandpoint for so long. "The war just ended." He said cautiously.

The boy brightened. "Really? Awesome!" He gained some strange looks at this. "What? I don't have to deal with the war now. What's wrong?" He looked at them as if this should have been obvious. Then he dismissed it. "Well, anyways, any chance I can have some place to stay before my friend gets here? He should be arriving soon, as soon as practice is over."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Practice?"

"Yeah! Tennis practice!"

"You play TENNIS?" Hermione asked, shocked.

"What's teniss?" Ron muttered.

"Of course I play tennis! It's fun! I can teach you if you want!" The boy looked eager.

"You'd have to be living as a muggle to know how to play tennis!" Hermione looked stunned.

"Hmm...yeah, I have been living as a muggle. Forgot about that."

"Ferret-face forgot he's been living as a muggle?!" Ron exclaimed.

The boy gave the redhead an insulted look. "Hey, it's rude to insult someone you've never met before!"

"As much as I hate to break up your conversation, gentlemen and lady, we have more important things to do right now." Professor McGonagall's stern voice rang out.

Just then a pop sounded. Everyone quickly aimed their wands in the direction of the complaining voices just beyond the corner of the rubble.

"OWW!!"

"Damnit, did you have to drop all of us like that?"

"Ore-sama has no obligation to make sure that you arrive standing perfectly. You were the ones who wanted to tag along. Besides, Ohtori and Oshitari arrived perfectly fine."

"You probably purposely didn't drop them!" The voice rang out from a brunette as the group appeared.

"Kei-chan!" Harry and his friends felt a speeding wind brush past them as the new Malfoy rushed at the group and simultaneously jumped and hugged a silver-haired young man at the head of the group.

"There you are. I still say you should have let me settle an agreement with your parents back then. We wouldn't have to deal with this now."

"Eh...I didn't expect him to get killed."

"Alright, is the Ministry of Magic still intact? Or do we have to come back?"

The witches and wizards felt more and more confused as they listened to the conversation. "What are you people doing here?" McGonagall demanded.

The silver-haired man gave her an insulted look as if she wasn't worth his time. "To help Jirou settle his family affairs. Tell us whether your Ministry of Magic is still operational or not and we'll be on our way."

"Wait! You still owe us an explanation!" Hermione rushed.

The silver-haired man opened his mouth to give her what seemed like an insult, but the blond who had earlier introduced himself as Malfoy interrupted. "Well, I guess I do." He looked at the silver-haired boy. "They DID spend time with my substitute."

The silver-haired teen sniffed. "Fine."

Harry had the sudden impression that that particular person had an attitude similar to the Malfoy they had known for the past seven years.

"Okay! So anywhere we can go? Or does everyone prefer to stay er....here?" The blond asked.

"Er, we can use Grimmauld Place." Harry suggested.

"That works."

When they arrived, they all gathered in the sitting room. The blond--whom the silver-haired man called Jirou--introduced everyone before beginning his tale.

"Wait. Atobe as in that bloody rich foreign pureblood family?" Tonks asked.

Atobe gave her a flat stare. "How many Atobes do you know?"

"Err..."

"Anyways, I was about ten when I first..."

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A ten year old blond boy walked around the garden surrounding his manor. His mother was holding yet another one of her parties, but they were so boring....

He sat down under one of the willow trees and leaned back, deciding that a nap would be best. He had managed to escape the three terrors his mother forced upon him, and hoped that they would stay away. Maybe they would stop bothering him if they see that he's asleep. He didn't have anything against Crabbe or Goyle or Pansy, but they wouldn't ever let him nap!

He had started to drift off when a voice spoke up next to him. He started awake and looked over to his right to see a silver-haired boy sitting next to him. He tilted his head to the side curiously.

"Ore-sama is Keigo Atobe. You are?" The boy said arrogantly with a flair.

"Draco Malfoy..." The blond slowly said.

The other boy looked him up and down. "You don't look like a Draco."

He shrugged. His parents were the ones who chose the name, not him. This, he said so.

The Atobe scrutinized him for a few moments. "'Jirou' would fit you more."

"What's that mean?"

"Second son. You don't look like a first child. Not commanding enough."

The blond shrugged again. "Okay, you can call me Jirou then. It sounds more interesting than 'Draco' anyways."

Atobe looked satisfied. "What were you doing?"

"Hmm?" Jirou looked up at Atobe. "Oh, I was going to take a nap."

Atobe raised an eyebrow. "Do you not live in this manor?"

"Yes..."

"Why do you not just nap in your room then?"

The newly dubbed 'Jirou' pouted. "My mom keeps sending her acquaintances' kids after me. She wants me to mingle with them, but they're all bullies."

"Aan?"

"They never let me nap either."

Atobe considered it. "Alright. How about you nap now, and Ore-sama will wake you up when it is time to go back in?"

"Really?"

Atobe shrugged.

"Yay!" Jirou gave Atobe a quick hug before settling back down in the grass and falling asleep.

Meanwhile, Atobe had frozen in shock at the touch. No one had ever just full out hugged him like that before. Even his parents didn't. He looked down consideringly at the blond napping beside him. "Hmm...perhaps I will keep you, afterall." He murmured, hesitatingly reaching out to pet the other's soft, messy hair.  
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After that, they met up every other day to play. Jirou's mother was happy that her son was connecting with the rich foreign heir and allowed their little playdates. However, one day, Jirou showed up at their meeting place in the garden in a mess. He threw himself into the other boy's arms and clung on tightly.

"Jirou, what's wrong?"

The blond continued to shiver. "I..." He swallowed. "I think my father's involved in something bad..."

Atobe stroked Jirou's hair softly, encouraging the boy to continue.

"There was this....this evil voice, a-and it was coming from the fireplace. It was saying something about being at Hogwarts next year and how he needed something to get his body back." Jirou buried his face in the other's shoulder. "I'm scared."

Atobe thought for a moment. "I am leaving next month for school."

"No!" Jirou clung even more tightly onto the silver-haired boy.

"I will be continuing my education there for another year, and then returning to Japan afterwards."

Jirou looked up at Atobe with wide eyes. "No..." He whispered, thinking the other boy was leaving him behind.

Atobe looked down at Jirou. "I can take you to Japan first, but you will have to live without me for a year."

Jirou's mouth dropped open. "A-are you serious? You're willing to take me to Japan?"

"Yes. I don't think you are suited for this kind of life." Atobe gestured at the manor. "There's too much evil clinging to this place. I can put a charm on you until you are fluent in Japanese on your own, but I won't be physically there for the next year. You will have to attend school on your own. I can hire some tutors to teach you magic, but there are no official magic schools in Japan."

Jirou didn't need to give it a second thought. "I'll do it." While he didn't like the idea of being away from Atobe for an entire year, he also didn't want to stay in England. His parents ignored him for the most part, and when they didn't, it was to force one of their acquaintances or their acquaintances' children on him or to teach him some form of dark magic. He didn't like how it felt. It felt...wrong. He was also most sleepy after doing said spells, which made his parents even more angry with him. He could never keep awake for an entire lesson without losing consciousness. Oh wait. "But what about my parents? Wouldn't they go after you?" He asked worriedly.

Atobe frowned. "I can draw up a contract with them, releasing you to my family. They might be stubborn about it, but I believe I can do it."

Jirou pondered. "Isn't there anything else we can do?"

"We could have someone substitute you as their son." Atobe raised an eyebrow skeptically. "That would still require their consent, however."

"Hmm...but they might let me go more easily if they have someone else to act as their son."

They thought in silence for a while. "I can create a marionette to look like you and act like a normal person, but the eye color will be off since it will essentially be a container for magic. It will require part of your magical core." Atobe frowned. "I believe the core returns to you should the doll be destroyed, but I heard that it is a very painful experience, both to separate part of your core and to return it."

"Do it." Jirou immediately said. It sounded good to him. He didn't want Atobe to be talking to his parents for too long. Who knew what they would do to him. A little pain on his part was worth the safety of his friend.

Atobe frowned at him. "I still say that a contract's fine."

"No. Make the doll." Jirou said firmly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Atobe was a little skeptical, but Jirou seemed unusually set on it, so he didn't argue. "Alright. I should have it finished by the end of this week. We can do the split then, tell your parents, leave the the doll, and get you to Japan."

Jirou smiled at him gratefully. "Thank you."

When the end of the week came, Atobe did as he said, brought over a copy of Jirou in clay and extracted part of Jirou's magical core. It was more painful than he thought it would be, but he gritted his teeth and held on. It was for Atobe, he reminded himself. When the core was placed into the doll, it turned life-like, but stayed in a coma-like sleep.

"It should wake up in another hour or two." Atobe told him. "Let's find your parents now."

They found Lucius in his study. Atobe strode in as if he owned the place, placed the releasing contract on the desk in front of Lucius and demanded that he sign it after quickly explaining that he would be left a doll that was essentially a clone of his son with half of his magical capabilities. He added the incentive that Lucius could train the doll however he wanted since it was a blank slate. He knew that Jirou's parents did not like Jirou's attitude towards dark magic, and so hoped that Lucius would be drawn in by the idea that he would essentially have a puppet to use.

Personally, Atobe thought that Jirou most likely possessed purification powers. He was probably unconsciously purifying all the spells he used at the same time he cast them, which was why he was always so tired after using them. He did not mention this to either Malfoy, however. He didn't want the elder Malfoy to know his son was special, and he didn't want Jirou getting it into his head that he had to help people with his magic.

After a short debate, Lucius signed the contract. Atobe then quickly shoved the doll at Lucius and dragged Jirou out. From the garden, he quickly portkeyed them to his own manor and used another series of portkeys to reach Japan. There, he called a loyal family that served his family and asked them if they were willing to take in another child. He knew the family loved children, and had a son older than Jirou and a girl younger than Jirou, and so hoped they would gladly take another.

They happily agreed and he set up files for the existence of one Akutagawa Jirou in the muggle world. Including papers to send him to Hyoutei. It was the start of a new beginning for the blond. Sadly for Atobe, despite not wanting Jirou to know of his own purifying powers, Jirou eventually found out when one of his tutors told him. It wouldn't be much of a problem since there were also others in Japan with the same powers, but Jirou had a habit of unconsciously purifying either the air around him or random little things. Hence, his little sleeping habit. By the time he was 15, he had managed to gain hold of his powers and slept less, but sometimes still did it unconsciously.

And of course, he lived a relatively normal muggle life for the several years after...until he was pulled back into the British wizarding world at the age of 17.

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The room remained silent for a few long minutes after he finished his tale.

Jirou then noticed Atobe's impatient tapping of his fingers on the arm of the chair he was seated on. "Well then, since no one has any questions, is the Ministry of Magic still intact?"

"Er..." Harry and his friends looked at each other.

Atobe abruptly stood up. "Well? Ore-sama does not have the time to continue sitting around here entertaining you peasants." He gestured at his surroundings as he said this.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward. "While the Ministry of Magic itself is intact, I do not believe that it is in the shape to do anything other than clean up loose ends currently."

"Alright then." Atobe snapped his fingers. "We will be going then." He took out his wand and quickly apparated the entire Hyoutei team away before the witches and wizards could react, successfully escaping their little soon-to-be inquisition.

Jirou blinked. "We didn't even say goodbye..."

Shishido snorted. "You know they would've tried to keep us there if you did. What's with their reactions anyways? They're weird."

Jirou shrugged. "I think it might be what my clone did."

"And there's also the issue of that." Shishido raised an eyebrow. "You're British?"

"I AM blond, you know." Jirou said this as if it should have been obvious that he was not quite native to Japan. "How many naturally blond Japanese have you actually seen?"

Shishido shrugged. "You could've just been weird."

Atobe cleared his throat. "You all need to go home." He gave them a hard look. "It is past dinnertime."

"Ch'. You just want to make out with Jirou." Mukahi scoffed. Atobe glared at the redhead, while Jirou blushed.

"Out!" He ordered.

"We're going, we're going." Oshitari sounded both amused and exasperated at the two's antics. Slowly, the other regulars also cleared out of Atobe's sitting room, leaving only Atobe and Jirou left.

"Ne, Atobe. Thanks for coming after me."

"Of course. Ore-sama couldn't leave you to those vultures."

Jirou gave the taller teen a wide grin. Then he paused thoughtfully. "Why did the rest of the team come with?"

Atobe snorted uncharacteristically. "You caused quite the commotion, disappearing on Ohtori like that. Shishido managed to calm him down, but not before Ohtori had caused a little panic. I assume you did tell him to come get me though?"

"Yeah." Jirou tilted his head to the side cutely. "That tracking spell you put on me seems to have worked really well."

"Of course. Ore-sama created it afterall."

Jirou giggled. He mused at his friends. Hyoutei was not a magic school, but all the regular members on the tennis team possessed bits of magic. They had all been trained by separate masters. He was glad they cared enough about him to all go and support him when he had been summoned. He looked over at Atobe. Considering the British wizards' reactions at his original name, leaving Britain when he was ten had been the best decision he had ever made. And he knew who to thank for it.

He skipped over in front of the silver-haired teen and glomped onto his arm. "Ne...can we have mutton for dinner? Pretty please?" He begged.

The other teen gave a deep sigh before agreeing. "I'm spoiling you rotten." He complained.

Jirou grinned happily. Yes, it was the best decision he had ever made.

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